Printing Control Apparatus, Printing Control System, Printing Control Method, and Non-Transitory Computer Readable Medium

1. A printing control apparatus comprising: a processor configured to implement: a setting unit configured to set a location of a delimitation in a print instruction; a buffer unit configured to buffer image data generated in response to the print instruction; and a transfer unit configured to transfer the image data buffered by the buffer unit to a printer configured to print on a continuous-feed paper sheet, wherein the transfer unit is further configured to insert blank sheet data at the location of the delimitation set by the setting unit when an amount of the image data buffered by the buffer unit becomes equal to or below a first threshold value and to transfer the image data to the printer, and wherein in a case where the amount of the image data buffered by the buffer unit is equal to or below the first threshold value, and the blank sheet data is not insertable at the location of the delimitation set by the setting unit, the transfer unit transfers the blank sheet data to the printer after the image data of all colors forming a page is transferred.

2. The printing control apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising an input unit configured to receive an input from a user, wherein the setting unit is further configured to set the location of the delimitation in accordance with information input by the input unit.

3. The printing control apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the transfer unit is further configured to transfer the image data with information indicating an insertion location of the blank sheet data attached thereto to the printer to be located subsequent to a last page of the print instruction.

4. The printing control apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the transfer unit is further configured to attach, to the blank sheet data, information indicating that the blank sheet data is inserted by the controller, before transferring the blank sheet data to the printer.

5. The printing control apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the transfer unit is further configured to transfer information indicating an insertion location of the blank sheet data is transmitted to an apparatus configured to perform a post-process to the continuous-feed paper sheet.

6. The printing control apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the transfer unit is further configured to attach, to the blank sheet data, information indicating that the blank sheet data is inserted by the controller, before transferring the blank sheet data to the printer.

7. The printing control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein in case that the print instruction is constructed in a predetermined format, the setting unit is further configured to extract a unit of the format from the print instruction and to set the location of the delimitation on a per unit basis of the format.

8. The printing control apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the transfer unit is further configured to transfer the image data with information indicating an insertion location of the blank sheet data attached thereto to the printer to be located subsequent to a last page of the print instruction.

9. The printing control apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the transfer unit is further configured to attach, to the blank sheet data, information indicating that the blank sheet data is inserted by the controller, before transferring the blank sheet data to the printer.

10. The printing control apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the transfer unit is further configured to attach, to the blank sheet data, information indicating that the blank sheet data is inserted by the controller, before transferring the blank sheet data to the printer.

11. The printing control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the transfer unit is further configured to transfer the image data with information indicating an insertion location of the blank sheet data attached thereto to the printer to be located subsequent to a last page of the print instruction.

12. The printing control apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the transfer unit is further configured to attach, to the blank sheet data, information indicating that the blank sheet data is inserted by the controller, before transferring the blank sheet data to the printer.

13. The printing control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the transfer unit is further configured to attach, to the blank sheet data, information indicating that the blank sheet data is inserted by the controller, before transferring the blank sheet data to the printer.

14. The printing control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the transfer unit if further configured to transfer information indicating an insertion location of the blank sheet data is transmitted to an apparatus configured to perform a post-process to the continuous-feed paper sheet.

15. The printing control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein in a case where the amount of the image data buffered by the buffer unit is equal to or below the first threshold value, and the blank sheet data is not insertable at the location of the delimitation set by the setting unit, the transfer unit transfers the blank sheet data to the printer when the amount of the image data buffered on the buffer unit is equal to or below a second threshold value that is less than the first threshold value.

16. An image forming system, comprising: a processor configured to implement: a printer configured to print to a continuous-feed paper sheet; a setting unit configured to set a location of a delimitation in a print instruction; a generator unit configured to generate image data in response to the print instruction; a storage unit configured to save the image data; a buffer unit configured to successively read the image data saved by the storage unit and to temporarily buffer the read image data; a transfer unit configured to transfer the image data buffered by the buffer unit to the printer; and a controller configured to control the transfer unit to transfer blank sheet data to the printer such that the blank sheet data is inserted at the location of the delimitation set by the setting unit when an amount of the image data buffered by the buffer unit becomes equal to or below a threshold value, wherein in a case where the amount of the image data buffered by the buffer unit is equal to or below the first threshold value, and the blank sheet data is not insertable at the location of the delimitation set by the setting unit, the transfer unit transfers the blank sheet data to the printer after the image data of all colors forming a page is transferred.

17. A printing control method, comprising: setting a location of a delimitation in a print instruction; buffering image data generated in response to the print instruction; and transferring the buffered image data to a printer that prints on a continuous-feed paper sheet; transferring blank sheet data to the printer such that the blank sheet data is inserted at the set location of the delimitation when an amount of the buffered image data becomes equal to or below a threshold value, wherein in a case where the amount of the image data buffered by the buffer unit is equal to or below the first threshold value, and the blank sheet data is not insertable at the set location of the delimitation, transferring the blank sheet data to the printer after the image data of all colors forming a page is transferred.

18. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program causing a computer to execute a process for controlling printing, the process comprising: setting a location of a delimitation in a print instruction; buffering image data generated in response to the print instruction; transferring the buffered image data to a printer that prints on a continuous-feed paper sheet; transferring blank sheet data to the printer such that the blank sheet data is inserted at the set location of the delimitation when an amount of the buffered image data becomes equal to or below a threshold value, wherein in a case where the amount of the image data buffered is equal to or below the first threshold value, and the blank sheet data is not insertable at the set location of the delimitation, transferring the blank sheet data to the printer after the image data of all colors forming a page is transferred.